Fooling

CHAPTER 1

"Come on, Jimmy, this is stupid!"

Chloe's voice was desperate. Jimmy shook his head.

"Jimmy, please, just look at me." she pleaded, grabbing his arm and making him stop pacing around the dark floor of the Daily Planet. "This is stupid. You're completely freaking out about what's not even there." He looked at her, distress flickering through his eyes. "You're going to lose me---"

"Lose you?" he said, incredulous. "Chloe, I'm not even sure I've ever had you in the first place."

"You never had me?" she asked, even more incredulous than he was. "Jimmy, you had me the entire time---"

"No. Not all the times you were there, helping him and talking to him--- how can I be sure you didn't start dating me to get over him?"

Chloe breathed out, frustrated. They were going on and on around that same conversation for more than thirty minutes, now.

It had all started when she arrived late for a date with Jimmy – they had agreed to meet at the Planet and then go out to dinner. Chloe was already on the Planet way before Jimmy had arrived, but she had found more pictures of the craters the zoners had created, and she had to drive to Metropolis to hand them to Clark. When Chloe came back, Jimmy was already there waiting for her, not pleased. She had been almost an hour late. Of course, he wouldn't have made a big deal out of it if it had been the first time – but it hadn't. Several times she had arrived late because she had been researching about the craters and the zoners with Clark. But she couldn't tell that to Jimmy. So, consequentially, he was thinking there was more into it than it actually was.

She knew he was insecure, especially when it came to Clark. He had always been a little jealous of him and Chloe, but he had never let it show. Not until tonight.

"Jimmy, Clark is your friend, not a threat."

"Oh, yeah, he is my friend, he's my pal," said Jimmy. "But he's also yours, and you spent a lot more time with him than any other normal friendship would require!"

True, thought Chloe. But Clark wasn't exactly a normal guy. But she couldn't tell that to Jimmy either.

She took a deep breath before start talking.

"Jimmy, look: Clark and I are friends. And that's it." Chloe explained once again, hoping that time he would understand. "I have been hanging out a lot with him lately, yes, I have, but it's not because I rather spend time with him than with you---"

"What is it, then?" Jimmy asked, half sarcastically, half pleadingly.

"I just have been helping him with… some stuff---"

"What stuff?"

"Personal stuff! Concerning him."

"What kind of personal stuff?" Jimmy inquired again, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Jimmy, come on, stop with that---"

"No, Chloe, you stop with that." he interrupted her, exasperatingly. "Stop giving me lame excuses every single time you show up late on our dates. I'm tired of that, I'm tired to be the second guy, okay. I love you, but I don't want that anymore. If you don't want to tell me what exactly you do when you're with Clark, fine. But as long as you don't make it clear to me, I'm going to keep thinking you still have feelings for him, and as long as I keep thinking you have feelings for him, I'll never be secure, and as long as I'm not secure, this relationship won't entirely work, and as long as this relationship doesn't entirely work---well, you get the big picture!" He paused to breathe a little. Then, he looked at her, and the sadness she saw on his eyes made Chloe's heart sink.

"Jimmy, I swear, there's nothing---"

"I just can't take this anymore," he continued, as if he hadn't heard her. "I can't live with this doubt and I can't be with you wondering if you're with me because you like me or if it's because you want to get over another guy, I'm sorry, Chloe."

He turned around sadly, ready to leave.

She felt a gust of desperation running through her body, and a very strong will to cry.

She never thought she cared about Jimmy that much. She was struggling with all her might to make him believe her, but it wasn't working, and it was bothering her more than she ever thought it could.

But Chloe wouldn't give up. Jimmy was a great guy who really liked her, and she liked him as well.

A lot.

The desperation quickly turned into determination.

She would not give up.

She had to do something.

Anything.

"Jimmy, wait!" she called him. He turned around to look at her.

Think, Chloe!

Quick thinking, she had to do some quick thinking. She was good at that.

Come on! THINK!

"The reason I've been helping Clark lately is…"

Jimmy was facing her curiously and hesitantly, at the same time.

She had to do something, anything that would somehow show him Clark and her were not an item, how Clark wasn't a threat.

How Clark wasn't… available.

"It's because he's got a girlfriend."

"A girlfriend?" Jimmy frowned, confused. "Who?"

"Lois."

I did not just say that.

The word came out of her mouth before she could keep it – the first name she could think of.

She covered her mouth with her hands, shocked with what she had just said.

Jimmy seemed pretty shocked himself.

"Lois?" he asked, disbelieving. "But… why were you helping him? Does he have a problem with her, or anything?"

"Yes!" she said, before she could stop herself. Chloe tried not to roll her eyes. She started it. She would have to keep going. Trying not to sound too shrill – or too liar – she kept going, not thinking too much before speaking. "See, uh, Clark and Lois have been… dancing around each other for a long time, and then months ago they finally started a… hum… relationship."

"Really?" asked Jimmy, still not sounding too convinced. Okay, she had already started a big, fat lie. For the good sake of her own relationship with Jimmy, right? She had to keep going with it, now.

"Oh yeah, they were really serious for a while." Chloe replied, with the most truthful voice she had. "She even moved in with him."

"She did?" asked Jimmy, shocked again. Chloe let a silent sigh of relief go. He was buying it. "That's… pretty big. 'Cause… you know, don't get me wrong, but your cousin doesn't seem the type of woman who moves in with any random guy."

Chloe bit back a smile. "You're right, she isn't."

"And… what's the problem he has, that you've been helping him with?" he asked.

God, she thought. That guy just did not give up.

"Well…" If you are in Hell, shake hands with the Devil. Chloe kept talking, using the best of her creativity. "They broke up a while ago because… it was stupid, really, they just argued too much and they ended it before they could screw things up. But the, um… feelings… remained."

She wasn't quite sure of how to continue.

"Oh!" Jimmy exclaimed, with an understanding expression. "That's why she was dating Oliver? To try to get over Clark?"

"Yes!" Chloe immediately agreed, fighting against a sudden fit of laughter at the situation.

"And… he wanted you to keep it a secret? Why?"

"Because… well, truth is… after Oliver left, they decided to try again, and… I don't know, I guess he didn't want to spoil it. And since I'm Lois's cousin, he asked for my help not to mess things up again."

She watched Jimmy while he took a little moment to think about that sudden burst of information. Again, she sighed, relieved. He was believing in it.

Thank God.

"You know," he started, after a few moments, walking towards her. "It kinda makes sense. A few days ago, when we were all at the Talon, I seemed to catch this weird vibe coming from them, and I didn't know what it was." Chloe frowned and he smiled at her. "I guess now I do, huh?"

"Yeah!" she said, smiling. He faced her for a few moments.

"There was no reason for me to be jealous of Clark." he finally said, and Chloe felt her heart jump in relief and happiness. "I'm so sorry, Chlo."

She walked closer to him and hugged Jimmy.

"It's okay." she said.

"How can I ever make it up to you?"

Oh, the damn shadows of guilt...

"Jimmy, you don't have to---"

"No, I want to. Hey! I've got an idea!" he said, suddenly. "As you probably already know, the Daily Planet will be throwing a party, this Saturday."

"Uhum," said Chloe, just waiting for what was to come.

"We should go! You know, relax, have some fun… it will be great." Jimmy said. "And hey, you must invite Clark and Lois to go with us! Since they're together again, I'm sure they could use a bit of celebration, don't you think?"

"Ab-absolutely!" Chloe agreed.

"So, bright eyes, what do you say?"

She looked at him. Clark and Lois would be pissed off.

But he was smiling so widely…

"Sure."

Jimmy kissed her happily.

"It's going to be like a double date!" he said.

"Yeah!" she said, trying not to sound odd.

Jimmy kissed her again and headed towards the door.

"See you on Saturday!" Chloe nodded. "That's going to be so much fun! Don't you think so?" he asked, from the door.

"Yes!" said Chloe. "He waved at her. "So much fun!"

Jimmy smiled at her and left. She waved at him as well, smiling a bit too widely.

Fun…

Chloe turned around and sat down on her desk, divided between the laughter and the desperation.

Clark and Lois…

She stood up, grabbing her purse.

Chloe made a mental note to kick herself later. Later, because right now, she had a mission.

She had two stubborn heads to persuade.

CHAPTER 2

Chloe put her foot out of her car and stepped in the Kent Farm. She started to walk towards the barn, her mind racing with every sort of arguments she could use to convince Clark and Lois to play along with her.

She knew what she was doing was wrong, but when Jimmy started to walk away, she just couldn't help herself. Well, Clark was already involved, since he was the one Jimmy had been jealous of. But Lois… well, it had been pretty much the first name that came to her mind. And the story she had created… well, it was original, not to say anything else.

During her ride from the Daily Planet to the Kent Farm, while she wondered about how she would convince those two, there were times when she thought she was helpless, that they would never pretend to be a couple. But then again… there were some moments where something deep inside told Chloe they would end up doing it. But there would be a lot of resistance – especially from Lois's part –, so Chloe would have to use the best arguments she had.

Chloe sighed.

Clark and Lois were going to kill her, bring her back from limbo and kill her again. Then, she'd go to Hell.

She was so in trouble.

The barn was right in front of her. Taking a deep breath, Chloe walked in.

"Clark? Are you in there?" she called, with the most normal voice she could come up with.

"Chloe?" he asked, walking downstairs from his loft. "What are you doing here again? It's late."

"I know," she answered, smiling a little.

"How's Lois?" he asked, walking towards her. Chloe tried not to bit her lip.

"She's---she's fine, I think." she answered, rubbing her hands, unable to hide her hesitation. Clark frowned.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Not… really…" she said, awkwardly. Taking another deep breath, Chloe looked up at him.

"What happened?" he asked, sounding a bit worried, now.

"Nothing serious, it's just… I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it?"

Chloe eyed him. "You promise to help me?"

Clark frowned again. "Of course."

"Promise?" she insisted. She had to be sure he would agree before telling him the story. This way, she could use his own word against him later.

"Yes, Chloe, what's going on?" He crossed his arms and faced her, truly concerned, now.

"Okay." she exhaled. "You better sit down." She grabbed him by the arm and sat him down on top of a haystack. Chloe looked at him again then chuckled nervously. "You know, funny story, actually… um… See, uh, after I drove to the Planet earlier, you know, after helping you with the zoners… well, I had a date with Jimmy. I arrived late and he was… kinda pissed off. And you know how he's insecure, especially when it comes to our friendship." Clark nodded, as a sign that she should go ahead. "It wasn't the first time I was late for one of our dates – because I was here helping you. So Jimmy was freaking out thinking that I still have feelings for you."

Clark widened his eyes, surprised. "He was?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he started to go on and on about how he couldn't be with me having doubts about my feelings for him and all of that stuff. I told him it was stupid, I told him that, but I couldn't convince him in anyway that you are not a threat to him, he just wouldn't understand."

Clark frowned in awe.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chloe…" he said. "Are you two okay?"

"Actually, we are!" she exclaimed. He made a surprised expression. "We are now, but let me continue the story.

"Alright." he said, not sure of where that was going to.

"Well, then… he turned around ready to walk away and break things up, and I was kinda desperate, because I wanted to tell him the truth, to clear things up, but I couldn't really tell him I've been helping you to track aliens from another planet so you can destroy them with your superpowers."

"Of course not."

"Then, I had to do some quick thinking," she continued, feeling that they were getting to the main part. "I had to show him how you weren't a threat, how you weren't… available."

"And what did you do?"

"Oh, I told him you have a girlfriend." Chloe said, casually. Clark raised his both eyebrows.

"You did?" he asked, surprised. "And who did you tell Jimmy it was?" Clark widened his eyes. "Please tell me it wasn't Lana."

Chloe made a casual gesture with her hand.

"Nah, I told him it was Lois."

Clark froze for so much time that she could have painted him in a canvas.

"You didn't." he managed to say. Chloe dropped the untailored act and made a face.

"Clark, I'm sorry, she was the only one I could think of---"

"The only one you could think of?" he asked, loudly, standing up from the hay. "There are plenty of girls in this world, Chloe---"

"She was the first one that actually came into my mind!" Chloe said, defensively. "I could only remember her, especially with you talking about her all the time---"

"Hey, I do not talk about her all the time." he disagreed, stubbornly, tightening the grips his arms had on his chest. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please. What was the first thing you asked when I walked in here?"

"I asked---" he immediately closed his mouth. "I… asked how Lois was... but hey, it doesn't matter, I don't talk about her. Not all the time."

Chloe rolled her eyes again and, this time, fought against a smile.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

"Whatever you say, Clark." she said. "Well, so, here's the deal, Jimmy asked me to go to the Daily Planet's party this Saturday, and he wants you and Lois to come with us."

Chloe could practically see the engines on Clark's mind when he narrowed his eyes.

Well, at least she wouldn't have to say the whole thing. Clark was figuring it out.

"No way!!!" he finally said when comprehension hit him, his eyes looking like two tennis balls.

"Hey, you promised to help me, remember?" Chloe said fiercely, deciding this was the best time to use Clark's promise against him.

"But I didn't know it would be something like this!"

"Clark, please---"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "There's no way I'll pretend to be Lois's boyfriend."

"Come on, is just for one night! After that I can tell Jimmy you two broke up again because of another stupid reason."

"Wait a second." Clark interrupted her, suspicious. "Why again? And what another stupid reason?"

Chloe closed her eyes for a second.

Busted.

"Well…" she started. "I… may have created a little story surrounding you and Lois…"

"A little story?" he said, a bit frantic too.

"Just for one night, Clark!" she pleaded. "One little night, what harm can it do?"

"No way, Lois and I would have to be all over each other and it would be just too awkward and embarrassing." he argued. "My answer is no."

Chloe took a deep breath, put on her best stubborn façade and went for the kill.

"Clark!" she started, censoring him. "Jimmy was going all weird because he thinks I still have some kind of remaining feelings for you and he wonders what I do with you when we hang out. I can't tell him you're an alien from another planet---or an intergalactic traveler," she quickly added, when Clark raised one finger and opened his mouth to correct her. "I was able to dismiss it, and I will keep doing it, but I need your help. So you better play along, because if he finds out everything and breaks up with me, it will be your fault!" Clark tried to argue, but he couldn't. Chloe relaxed a little bit, noticing he was slowly giving in. "Just so he can be tranquilized for good, seeing that you're into someone else."

Clark widened his eyes, shocked and a little bit scared, Chloe noticed.

"But I am not---"

"Whatever, Clark, just… come on! Pleeeease?" she insisted.

He looked at her for a second, quickly analyzing the situation, then nodded in agreement, annoyed.

Chloe smiled, delighted.

"Oh, thank you! Now I just need to talk to Lois and convince her---"

"Whoa, you haven't talked to her yet?" interrupted him, widening his eyes.

"No, I'm just gonna---"

"Chloe, you'll never convince her to do this, trust me, she'll probably just laugh on your face---"

"Save it. I have my methods." said Chloe, smiling, not allowing Clark to back off. He raised an eyebrow. "She's my cousin, she loves me, she'll do it for me."

He sighed.

"Fine." he said. Then, he pointed a finger to her. "But you owe me one. A big one."

"Thank you!" she said it again, hugging him. "I knew you would say yes!" Clark eyed her. "Besides, if you didn't…" she smiled. "I happen have blackmail material."

He raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"The pictures Jimmy took from Lois kissing Green Arrow. Or…" she smirked even more at the way he gulped. "Should I say Clark Arrow?"

"Shhh!!" he pleaded, looking around, as if he was expecting Lois to pop up from behind a pile of hay. He faced Chloe, severely. "You wouldn't do that."

She laughed. "No, of course I wouldn't, I was just kidding."

Clark shook his head, mortified.

Chloe gave him a big smile and grabbed his arm, walking on the way to the barn's door and leading him towards her car.

"Wait, where are we going?" Clark asked, not stopping to walk.

"To the Talon." Chloe explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We have a Lois Lane to persuade."

"Whoa, we?" he exclaimed, making Chloe almost trip when he suddenly stopped and she tried to keep dragging him.

"Yeah, we!" she insisted. "Because whether you like to admit it or not, you're the only one that can really get into Lois's nerves and walls. So, you're going with me because she's the toughest one to convince." Chloe entered on her car and opened the passenger's door to Clark. "And I know you can superspeed towards there, but I want to fill you in to the 'story'."

Clark rolled his eyes and entered at Chloe's car as well.

Turning the car on, she tried not to be too relieved. Because she had won a battle, but the war was still up.

Now, she would have to work on her cousin.

CHAPTER 3

"No. No, no, no, no, no and no, not in a million years, not when Hell freezes over, not even when the skies fall over our heads. I am not going to pretend to be Smallville's girlfriend just so you can leave things in loving peace with Jimmy, Chloe."

Lois had her arms crossed and her chin raised in what seemed to be a very decided position to stand. Clark was looking at the ceiling, hands on his pockets, looking absolutely embarrassed. Chloe tried not to roll her eyes. Exactly the reaction she was expecting.

"Lois, please."

"No. No way." she said, stubbornly. "This is sick, insane, and stupid. And let's face it, could you have come up with a lamer idea?"

"It isn't lame!" Chloe said, defending herself. "It's brilliant!" Lois eyed her. "Okay, maybe not that brilliant, but it doesn't matter, it was the only thing I could come up with at the moment, and---"

"Well, couldn't you have said anything else? Like 'I'm spending time with Clark 'because I'm trying to help him understand the mind of a human female'? Or 'Clark's just not interested in me that way'? Or simply 'Clark's not a threat, I am not interested in Clark, I have no feelings for him, he's just a big, tall, dorky, bumbling guy who loves to mope around and who just can't get enough of flannel and plaid'!?" Clark raised an eyebrow. Lois turned to him. "I'm just trying to make a point here, no offense."

He nodded. "None taken."

"Good." Lois turned to Chloe again, taking a deep breath to keep talking. "OR you could have even said Clark had a girlfriend anyway, I'm fine with that, you just didn't have to mention my name!"

"Lois---"

"And you know what?" she interrupted her. Chloe bit her lip. When Lois started, it was hard to make her stop. "Why don't you just go tell Jimmy to get over himself and stop being so insecure just because Clark is so damn tall, smiling and handsome?" Chloe bit her lip again, this time to hold back a smirk. Now, that was interesting. Clark raised his eyebrows and was unable to keep a smile away from his face while Lois turned to him, once more. "Again, just trying to make a point. Don't flatter yourself, it's not like I mean it."

"Okay, I'll pretend I believe that." he said, still smiling. Lois glared at him.

She turned back to Chloe, seeming ready to start speaking again, but she couldn't find any more words. She just let go of a heavy breath.

"Well?" she merely said, hands on her hips.

Chloe looked down and then at Lois again, ready to respond.

She walked towards her cousin.

"Okay…" she started, serenely, and Lois frowned at her composure. "Now that you've stopped freaking out…" Lois glared at her. "First of all, I did tell Jimmy he didn't need to be jealous of Clark, who I have no feelings for. But you know better than anyone that sometimes, telling it's not enough, sometimes we need proof. Second of all, he had just said he couldn't be with me with doubts and had turned around ready to leave. I was desperate. What would you have done?" Lois's face softened a little bit. Just a little, but enough for Chloe to realize she was slowly getting into her. "I had to think quickly. The only solution I came up with was Clark having a girlfriend, and your name was the only one that popped into my head."

"Well, why didn't you just say it was Lana?" Lois asked, exasperated. Chloe nodded, expecting that answer. "I'm sure it would be just perfect." she added, sarcastically.

"A while ago, that would have been my first shot," she explained. Lois frowned. Chloe glanced at Clark. "But well, Clark and Lana are just past now, and Lana's going to marry Lex."

"Yeah, I still don't know how that happened…" Lois commented, shaking her head, getting off the subject for a second. Then, she snapped back into it and looked at Chloe suspiciously. "Okay, fine, Lana is history, but what made you say my name, over anyone else's?"

"Well---" Chloe started, and immediately stopped as saw Clark's warning and anxious expression. Don't., it was saying. She looked back at Lois and smiled. "You're my cousin. And well, basically, we're the three girls in Clark's life, Lana, me and you. Lana is past and engaged to Lex. I have a boyfriend who I really like. And you… well, you're the only one that's left."

"Cool, so I'm the last option." said Lois, annoyed. Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Lois, I just said you were the only one I could think of. I hardly believe that makes you be the last option."

She shrugged, but she still seemed annoyed.

"Whatever." she said. "Last option or not, I am not going to pretend I'm Farmboy's girlfriend, not even for one night."

"Come on, Lois! Clark agreed!"

"I don't care about what Clark said---"

"Hey, just a reminder," started Clark, waving a little bit, with an annoyed voice. "Lois, I'm still here. And Chloe," he shook his head. "I told you it wouldn't work."

Chloe rolled her eyes, and Lois turned to Clark now, seeming absolutely revolted.

"Being here or not, you have the right to remain in silence!" she said, making him gaze at her shockingly. "Makes a person wonder, you know, Smallville, why, of all people, you accepted to do this with me!"

"I---" he started, ready to defend himself, but Lois didn't let him.

"No, really, I mean, this is just plain stupid. And crazy." said Lois. "This story, let me tell you, 'cuz, Jimmy won't buy. Besides, Clark and I would never be able to keep the act up, we'll probably kill each other by the end of the night."

Ignoring the fact that Lois was speaking like she had agreed already, Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but Clark spoke first.

"She's got a point, you know." he said. "There's no way I would stand her pretending to be my girlfriend for an entire evening."

"Whoa." said Lois, turning to him again and crossing her arms. "Are you saying that I'm not a good girlfriend?"

Clark looked at her. "I wouldn't have how to know, I've never dated you."

"Well, then you shut your mouth before saying something like that, alright?" she said, annoyed.

"Maybe you should shut yours before saying we wouldn't stand to pretend to be a couple for a night."

Lois raised her eyebrows. "Did I say any lie?"

"Did I?"

"Yes, you implied I'm not a good girlfriend, and I'm sure Oliver would disagree."

"No, I implied you're pretty much insufferable when you want to be, and that we wouldn't be able to keep up with the act during a whole evening."

"Well, now, that's just what I said, I guess you'll have to come up with a better excuse than that."

Completely forgotten by both, Chloe watched them argue, with a smile. If there was only person that could convince her, it was Clark, and he would do it using the best cunning he got: bickering.

"It wasn't an excuse." Clark was saying. "You're the only using excuses so you won't have to pretend to be my girlfriend for one night. What a shame, Lois, you won't even do one little thing like that for your cousin?"

Chloe fought against a chuckle. He was doing it. And he didn't even know.

"I'd do anything for my cousin, just not humiliate myself in front of everybody." she retorted.

Lois's would soon show signs of weakness. At any moment, now.

"So showing up with me in public would be a humiliation for you?" asked Clark, sounding truly hurt. Lois's expression softened.

There you go., thought Chloe, with a smile.

"No, that was not what I meant…" said Lois, a bit clumsily.

"Well, that was how it sounded." said Clark, still sounding hurt.

She sighed. "Look, Smallville, seriously, I didn't mean it that way. It's just... we would never keep up with the plan during the whole night, we would probably start to argue or something, and it would be all ruined. Besides, this whole thing is crazy! It's just… it's insane, I mean, do you really think we – we – could pretend to be a couple? Do you really think it would work?"

"Yes." he suddenly answered, surprising her. "And you know what I think?" he said, walking closer to her, smirking. "I think you're afraid."

Lois narrowed her eyes and walked closer to him.

"I am not afraid." she said, dangerously, crossing her arms again.

Almost there…, thought Chloe.

Clark crossed his arms as well and raised an eyebrow.

"Prove it." he teased.

Chloe smiled.

Bingo.

"Fine!" Lois finally said, turning to Chloe, now. Both Clark and her uncrossed their arms. "Fine, you won, I'll do it. But just let me tell you something, 'cuz." She walked towards Chloe, who quickly erased the sly smile from her face. Clark stopped beside Lois, seeming a bit shocked with himself. "If this doesn't work, it won't be my fault. Put the blame on the big guy here," she patted Clark's tummy.

"Ouch." he faked, smiling a bit to Chloe.

"Because," Lois continued, pretending not to have heard Clark's complaint. "He was the one who convinced me to do it. So if he messes things up – and believe me, he will – you can unload your anger on him."

"Hey, what makes you think I'll mess it up?" Clark asked, challengingly. Lois looked up at him.

"Oh, please, Smallville, you're just clumsy." she said, matter-of-factly. "You'll probably ask Chloe if we can drop off the act fifteen minutes after we get there. Now shut up and start thinking about what you're going to wear, because it's a fancy party, and if you show up wearing plaid, I guarantee you we're going to have our first little couple fight."

Clark gulped and nodded.

"Well, I guess we know who's the boss in this relationship, after all!" Chloe joked, good-heartedly. She regretted saying it as soon as both Clark and Lois glared her, absolutely exasperated. "Anyway," she started, awkwardly, under their piercing gaze. "The party is this Saturday, and it starts at nine p.m. Since driving to Metropolis takes approximately an hour, you should be ready at eight. I'm gonna go with you guys – don't get me wrong, I hate to be the third wheel," Another piercing glance. "---but Jimmy will already be there since the afternoon, because he'll be taking pictures of the decoration. And I'll let you two know about your love story Saturday, on our way to the party. Okay?"

Clark and Lois glanced at each other annoyingly, sighed and nodded.

Chloe smiled and walked towards the apartment door.

"Hey, Chloe?" Lois called, confused. She turned around, looking at her cousin, who motioned towards Clark. "Didn't you bring Clark? Aren't you going to give him a ride back home?"

Clark widened his eyes, but Chloe just smiled.

"Oh, I thought I should leave him here so you guys go warming up---uh, no?" she added, at their stunned expressions. "Okay then! Come on, Clark, let's go!"

Clark practically ran towards Chloe and waved Lois an awkward goodbye.

Chloe and Clark, in silence, walked downstairs, headed to the Talon's front door.

"Hey, Kent, just a warning!" They heard her yell. "You'll be driving! Pick us up at eight o'clock on Saturday, and no delay, Smallville, or I swear you will regret convincing me to do this!"

Both Chloe and Clark chuckled. They kept walking and crossed the Talon's front door.

"See why I brought you?" Chloe whispered to him. Clark rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

CHAPTER 4

Saturday. Eight p.m.

Straightening his tie, Clark took a deep breath and walked into the Talon. He had a feeling it would be a very long (and possibly stressful) night – not to mention embarrassing. He already had an embarrassing moment trying to explain to his mom what they were going to do – he just hated those knowing smiles that his mom used to shot him every time he started to talk about Lois, lately. Because there was nothing to know, right? He was just feeling a little bit awkward around her because well, they had kissed, both had found it just great and she didn't even know it had been him.

It was kind of frustrating.

The coffee shop was empty already, and almost all the chairs were turned upside down, hanging above the tables. Almost all of them, except one, where Chloe was sitting. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress, and her blonde hair was pulled down the back of her neck in a knot.

"Hey," he said, walking towards her. She turned to him.

"Hey!" she greeted. "I see you took Lois's advice." she pointed out, motioning her head towards his tux.

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to risk it." he said, pulling a chair and sitting down as well.

"So?" she asked, excitedly. "Ready to the show?"

"Well," he sighed. "If you call spending a whole night having to pretend Lois Lane is my girlfriend a 'show', then yeah, yes, I am."

"Good," she said, smiling brightly.

Clark looked towards the stairs and then looked to his watch.

"She isn't ready yet?"

"No." informed Chloe. "By the time I came down here, she was finishing drying her hair."
Clark rolled his eyes.

"And she told me to come exactly at eight, and she demanded that I shouldn't be late… well, why am I not surprised?" he said, sarcastically. Chloe smiled at him.

"Don't be mad at your girlfriend, Clark." she joked. Clark eyed her.

"Don't… don't say that." he asked, making a face.

"Why? I'm just impersonating the situation."

"It's just… weird." he said. Chloe looked at him severely.

"Well, you'll have to get used to it." she said. "Tonight, she isn't Lois Lane, the woman destined to bust your chops forever. She will be Lois Lane, your beloved girlfriend."

He shuddered at the sentence. For some reason, it bothered him.

"Hard to believe." he said. "I still don't know how you put us into this situation."

"Oh, Clark, stop complaining." censored Chloe. It will be, at the worst of the possibilities, fun."

"Fun? A whole night with Lois glued by my side?" Clark said, though he was smiling.

In fact, he had actually found himself having fun with her, during the last months. They had always been friends – even though they didn't admit that to anyone –, but their friendship had been growing really close. It was actually really pleasant to be around her – even when they were bickering and arguing. Because it felt normal. Among all the things that were happening, teasing and bantering with her felt incredibly renewing.

And then that kiss had happened, turning his mind upside down; making him feel awkward around her and blush every time she mentioned Green Arrow – and the amazing kiss she had shared with him.

"Thinking about your girlfriend?" asked Chloe, smiling. Clark jumped a little bit and looked at her.

"No." he denied, and he knew Chloe didn't believe him. She just kept smiling.

"You know, Clark, this whole set-up might actually be interesting." she said. Clark frowned.

"Yeah? Why?" he asked.

"Well," she lowered her voice in a way only Clark could hear. "Last time you joined in for a plan, you ended up kissing her. Who knows what will happen tonight? Maybe she'll become your real girlfriend."

Clark stood up with a jump. She laughed. He was so nervous – she couldn't help but teasing him about it.

"Chloe!" he said, shocked. "Don't say such a thing! And stop smiling like that. I am already uncomfortable---"

"Why? Just because it's Lois?"

"Yes!" he said, exasperated.

"And what would be so wrong with that?" Chloe asked, still smiling and curious.

"Because she's Lois, she's my friend, she drives me crazy, she's annoying, rude, stuck up…" Chloe bit her lip, smiling. "… sarcastic, sassy, devilish…" Chloe started to chuckle now. "… teasing, irritating, and… and she's reckless… she's just---she's standing right behind me, isn't she?"

Chloe burst into laughter and nodded. He closed his eyes in exasperation and turned around, ready to apologize, feeling his cheeks burning. When he saw her, however, he was left speechless.

Her purse matched her dress, and what a dress it was.

She was wearing a beautiful long, red dress with a decent low cut – that Clark honestly didn't find so decent –, tightened in all the right places. Her hair was curly, cascading down her shoulders, and she had a light make-up on her face, using a natural-color lipstick and gloss on her lips. Clark tried not to stare, and failed miserably at it.

It had taken her a little longer time to get ready. But the result was just stunning.

"Okay. So let's get this straight." she said, to her cousin. "Chloe, stop smirking. Smallville…" She looked at Clark and used her hand to put his chin back up to its regular place. "Close this jaw of yours, or you're going to swallow a fly, and that would be really disgusting."

"I--- I'm…" he gasped and Lois rolled her eyes, but she was unable to hold back a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now let's go." She walked past him towards the Talon's front door and Chloe shot Clark an amused look.

"Did you just choke when you saw Lois on that dress?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"No," he quickly denied, following Lois outside, Chloe right behind him.

She was standing in front of his truck (he had carefully remembered to come driving, not super-speeding), tapping her right foot on the floor impatiently.

"Hey, Smallville!" she called, from the other side of the street. "Are you just gonna stand there checking me out or we're actually going to that party?"

Clark looked at his sides, surprised to see that Chloe was already by Lois's side on the other across the street. She waved at him, with a smirk.

Wanting to kick himself, Clark crossed the street and joined the girls. Lois looked at him up and down.

"What?" he asked, feeling almost naked under her gaze.

"No plaid." she said, still sizing him up. Then, she stared at him and smiled. "Nice."

Clark shook his head, feeling his cheeks redden a little bit again.

"Chlo?" called Lois. "You want to go on the front passenger seat?"

"Oh, no way," said Chloe, quickly opening the door to herself and entering at the backseat. "The couple goes in the front."

"Hey," complained Clark, when he saw Chloe was already in the car. "I was going to open the door for you."

Chloe shot him a 'too bad, you missed it' look and motioned her head towards Lois, who was already on her way to open the front passenger's door.

Clark ran in front of her before she could reach it, and opened the door for her.

Lois raised her eyebrows, impressed.

"Well done, Smallville, how very gallant of you." she said, entering at the car. Then, before he could close the door, she looked up at him and joked, checking him out again. "Maybe I finally found a good one for myself, this time."

Laughing, Clark closed her door and walked around the car, sitting on the driver's seat.

While they drove to Metropolis, they all stood in silence for the first minutes.

The first one to speak was Lois. She turned her head to look at Clark.

"So, I've been thinking about the pet names we should use---"

"You have?" asked Clark, shockingly. Lois stared at him for a moment then rolled her eyes.

"Yes, and you're the one who talked me into it. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do this right, so now you better start incorporating the boyfriend." She took a deep breath and started talking. "Well, I was thinking about going with the usual ones when we're talking normally. You know, the ones like honey and baby. Although, if things start to get a little more intimate, we could change the last one to babe."

"Wait, intimate?" Clark asked, panicking, suddenly turning her head to her.

"Acting, Smallville," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's all about acting. And are you trying to get us killed? Eyes on the road!" He looked at the road before them again. "In any case," she continued. "If the night goes on well, we can start calling each other sweetie and darling, you know, nauseating stuff like that. It will make the relationship look more consistent and warm."

"O-kay…" babbled Clark, without taking his eyes off the highway.

"We could always try sweetheart and dear and all of the other stuff too, but, Smallville…" she turned to him, pointing a finger threateningly. "If you call me pumpkin, I swear you and Clark Jr. will be singing soprano for an entire week."

Hearing Lois talk about pet names as if it was a surgical procedure was hilarious, but that last line made Chloe quickly transform a burst of laughter in a very serious fit of cough.

"You okay there, 'cuz?" Lois asked, turning her head to look at Chloe.

"Yeah, yeah," she answered, pulling herself together and slightly hitting her own chest. "I think I may have choked with a fly."

Clark fought against a chuckle and sighed.

It was going to be a long trip.

But the night promised to be even longer.

CHAPTER 5

Clark, Lois and Chloe were standing in front of the Daily Planet's building.

It was dark outside, and the street was silent, but they could hear the sound of music coming from the ballroom, in the fourth floor.

"Alright," said Chloe, turning to Clark and Lois, who had the exact same apprehensive expression on their faces. "Just to recap: you started to date, a pretty serious relationship. Lois, you moved in with Clark---"

"Actually, I kinda did." said Lois, with a smirk, remembering her long sojourn in the Kent Farm.

"Tell me about it…" said Clark, with an annoyed tone of voice. Lois turned to him.

"Hey. You invited me in the first, place, remember?" she argued. Chloe quickly placed herself in the middle of them and grabbed one arm of each.

"Look. Guys. I know arguing and bickering is your favorite hobby, but just for tonight, try to drop it, okay?" she asked. "Lois, you're the one who said that if you're going to do this, you're going to do this right."

"Yeah, but he's so annoying!" she complained, crossing her arms and shooting Clark an annoyed glance.

"Yeah, because you're an angel of sweetness." Clark replied. Now, Lois was the one that narrowed her eyes.

Chloe rolled her eyes. They looked like five year olds, sometimes. And they were supposed to pretend to be a couple.

That was going to be hard.

"Okay…" continued Chloe. "So, after Lois moved in, you guys were together for some time and then you broke up."

"Why again?" asked Clark, trying to remember the rest of the story.

"Because you two argued too much." answered Chloe.

"Makes sense…" said Clark, thoughtfully. Lois passed one hand behind Chloe and slapped him in the arm. He laughed.

"You argued too much and you didn't want to screw it all up, you wanted to save your friendship. So, you two broke up, but the feelings were still there." continued Chloe. Lois frowned.

"Yeah, Chlo, that was the part where you stopped telling the story and said you'd continue later." she pointed, curiously. "Tell us, oh enlightened mind, what happened with this beautiful love story?"

Chloe laughed, but stopped as soon as she remembered what was coming. Clark and Lois caught that.

"Um… something tells me it isn't pretty." Clark said.

"Well… Lois, you, uh… you started dating Oliver because you wanted to get over Clark."

"WHAT???" she said, horrified. "I did not!"

"I know, I know," Chloe tranquilized her, raising her both hands in a peace gesture. "But Jimmy concluded that was how it happened, and I didn't disagree with him."

"Well, you should have!" Lois exclaimed, still shocked. "I'd never do such a thing! If I had feelings for Clark, I'd never start dating someone else to forget him! I'd try to make it work!" Clark smiled a little bit, but neither Chloe or Lois noticed. "Chloe Sullivan, that was seriously out of character."

"Sorry, Lois." she said. "Anyway, uh… then, when Oliver left, you two decided to try again and well, here you are, a wonderful and happy couple!" Chloe looked at Clark and Lois, who once again had identical expressions on their faces, but now they were just cynical. "Alright, maybe not so happy, but still a couple. Now, let's go inside and get this party started."

Chloe started to walk towards the Daily Planet's front door and Clark and Lois followed her, sighing.

They took the elevator, Clark at one corner, Lois on another and Chloe in the middle again.

She looked from one to the other. Clark still seemed to find very hard not to stare at Lois and her red dress, and Lois seemed to be absorbed in her thoughts. They were looking at opposite sides, but every now and then they shared a weird glance. Chloe raised one curious eyebrow.

"Hum… why do I really feel like a third wheel here?"

"Chloe!" Clark and Lois censored at the same time. They glanced at each other once more and then looked away again.

Whew… talk about awkward tension…, thought Chloe.

Lois swallowed, thinking the same thing. There was something strange in the air, and they didn't know what it was. But maybe it was there just because right on that little elevator, the reality of what they were going to do tonight hit them.

It didn't mean anything, it was nothing but an act. But Lois had to admit it felt a little bit unsettling. Not letting that take over, she plastered a self-assured expression on her face and looked at Clark. Ignoring the strange hop that turned her belly upside down when she saw he had been staring at her, Lois gave him a confident smile, and was a little bit relieved to see he smiled back.

Watching it all, Chloe couldn't help but smile too. That whole thing might actually become very interesting.

"Um… did someone actually remember to press the button to the fourth floor?" Lois asked. Clark immediately pressed it and Chloe laughed.

She was more relaxed now. She knew they wouldn't disappoint her because, even not agreeing 100 with what she was doing, they were stubborn as hell and they loved her. They wouldn't screw things up. Not so soon, anyway.

When the elevator door opened, the three of them walked through the halls, hearing the music get louder and louder at every step they took. They arrived at the ballroom. Feeling the sudden nervousness coming from Clark and Lois, Chloe stopped in front of them.

"Alright." she said. "Here's when the act begins. Don't freak out, don't screw it up, don't be nervous---"

"I'm not nervous." both Clark and Lois said, again simultaneously.

"Of course you aren't." said Chloe, smiling and not believing one single word. "Hey, and the most important: it's all an act. Right? So wake up the Tom Hanks and the Julia Roberts inside of you and let's go win an Oscar."

"Alright," said Clark. Lois nodded.

"Let's do this."

Chloe looked from one to another with awe. They were there, putting all the façades down and facing their worst fears for her. She smiled.

"I love you guys, you rock!" Chloe hugged them both and they smiled too.

Pulling away, Lois and Clark breathed in deeply. They looked at each other.

"Okay. Ready to do this, Smallville?"

"You bet."

She smiled. "Good."

Lois reached for Clark's hand and he jumped a little bit, his smile fading away.

"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised by her sudden touch.

She rolled her eyes. "It's called holding-hands, Smallville, couples do that, you may have missed that part of the lesson?"

Clark rolled his eyes as well and let her hold his hand, smiling slightly at the strangely comfortable feeling of her hand in his.

Chloe smiled at them.

"Come on." she said, motioning with her head to the ballroom, where a big crowd of people were already dancing, eating and drinking. Chloe started to walk inside, and Clark and Lois followed her, hand in hand.

"And remember…" Lois whispered to Clark with the corner of her mouth, smiling and waving to some people. "Call me pumpkin and you'll be digging your own coffin to lie in."

Ignoring her, Clark just kept walking. The place was dark. There was a D.J. at the corner of the well lightened dance floor, and several tables surrounding it.

At the same time, the three of them spotted Jimmy, walking towards them, with his camera on his hand.

"There he is!" said Chloe. "Smile!"

Clark and Lois both grinned, thoughts like Oh Lord and I can't believe I'm doing this passing by their minds.

"Hey, guys!" Jimmy greeted, standing in front of them and kissing Chloe.

"Hi," said Lois.

"Hey, Jimmy," said Clark.

"I'm glad you guys made it," he said, holding Chloe's waist.

"So we are, aren't we, honey?" asked Lois, smiling and looking up at Clark, still holding hands with him. He looked down at her, fighting a grin.

"Absolutely." he said, grinning at Jimmy instead. Chloe looked at them proudly. Jimmy smiled at both of them.

"Hey!" he said, suddenly. "Since I have my camera here, why don't we take some pictures?"

"Um… sure." said Lois.

"Okay! Chloe, you go first with Lois and Clark, right there, so the Daily Planet's symbol stays on the background." said Jimmy, professionally. Chloe chuckled a little and placed herself beside Lois. "Okay, smile, everyone!" Jimmy placed the camera in front of his eyes and took a picture. "Cool! Now just Lois and Clark."

"Okay…" They mumbled, glancing briefly at each other. Chloe immediately ran towards Jimmy, so she could be out of the frame. A bit clumsily, Clark let go of Lois's hand and held her next to him by her waist, while she did the same.

"Aw!" said Chloe, grinning. "Don't you look cute together!"

Lois smiled – a bit cynically – at her and leaned against Clark's shoulder, turning her head a little bit to whisper in his ear.

"Remind me to kill her when this night is over." she murmured.

"I'll help you," Clark whispered back, lowly.

"Smile!" They heard Jimmy say, before taking the picture. "Great! Now come on, there's a table reserved for us." He indicated a table a few meters away from where they were.

Holding hands again, Clark and Lois followed Jimmy and Chloe, and started to border the dance floor.

"You know, I've got to admit," Jimmy started, while they walked towards their table. "When Chloe told me you two actually had a serious relationship, things kind of started to take place."

"Oh yeah?" said Lois, frowning curiously. "And why is that?"

"Oh, you know," he answered. "All the times I was in the same room with you guys, I seemed to catch this… strange vibe coming from you two, but I could never figure out what it was!" He turned his head to look at Clark and Lois. "And well, I guess now I know, huh?" he added, glancing down at their entwined hands, smiling.

"They were in love long before they could realize it." clarified Chloe, without turning around.

Both Clark and Lois forced a smile. Something about that sentence unsettled both. When Jimmy turned his head again to their table, further on, Clark felt Lois's hand hesitatingly loosen the grip on his, a little bit.

"Just an act, remember?" he whispered, in a way only she could hear. Lois gulped and nodded, lightly squeezing his hand and letting go of it, so they could sit down at their table as Chloe and Jimmy did the same.

CHAPTER 6

"Just an act, remember?" he whispered, in a way only she could hear. Lois gulped and nodded, lightly squeezing his hand and letting go of it, so they could sit down at their table as Chloe and Jimmy did the same.

"So, Jimmy," started Clark, after a few seconds of silence. "I can't believe they made you work in their own party…"

"Yeah, but hey, I love what I do. However, I've been taking pictures all day, and now I'll just drop off my camera and hang out with my girl." He kissed Chloe again and she smiled to him, then at Clark and Lois. They were interrupted by a waiter, who pompously walked towards their table and greeted them with a warm smile.

"Good evening. Can I get you something to drink?" he asked.

"Hell yeah. Do you have Piña Coladas?" said Lois, promptly.

"We most certainly do." answered the waiter, proudly. "Can I get you one, miss?"

"Definitely."

"I want a beer." said Jimmy.

"I'll take a Margarita." said Chloe.

"If you ask for a Coke I'll punch you." Lois murmured to Clark, who just smiled and turned to the waiter.

"I'll have a scotch on the rocks, thank you." he said. Lois raised an eyebrow, smiling impressed.

"Very well. I'll be right here with your drinks." said the waiter, smiling at them and turning around, walking towards the bar.

"So, how did you two meet?" Jimmy asked. Lois's smile immediately widened and looked at Clark, devilishly.

The night might be fun, after all.

"Funny story, actually." she started, mischievously. Clark narrowed her eyes at her in a way that clearly said Don't you dare.

Lois grinned.

"It all started when--"

"Lois," called Clark, pretending to chuckle. "Honey, we don't need to---"

"Yes we do, baby, he asked." she replied. Clark took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. She was going to embarrass him, that was for sure. "Well," Lois started excitedly, turning to Jimmy. "It all started when I was driving to Smallville, just about three years ago, to investigate Chloe's death."

"Investigate what???" asked Jimmy, shocked, looking at Chloe, who laughed a little bit.

"Long story, I'll fill you in later." she said.

"You better!" said Jimmy, turning to Lois again.

"Well, I was actually looking for Clark. I didn't know who he was by then, but I knew he was Chloe's friend and I needed to talk to him and see if he knew something." She paused a little bit. "Then, well, I was driving and out of nowhere, a lightening comes from the sky and hits the floor right in front of my car! Of course, I had to turn aside, and I turned so much that I entered at one of the thousand cornfields that were surrounding me." Before she could continue, the waiter arrived and placed their drinks on the table, writing down their orders, putting the bill on the table and smiling at them. Jimmy, Chloe and Clark didn't even look at man. The first two had their eyes glued at Lois (Chloe had never actually heard the whole story) and Clark was deliberately looking at the other side. Lois smiled and thanked the waiter. After he left, she continued. "Then, after burying myself into all that corn, I guess I finally, somehow, managed to break. Another lightening fell from the sky – the weather was terrible that night – and with the light, I saw someone lying on a bare place, in front of my car. Guess who it was?" she said, looking suggestively at Clark.

"No kidding!" said Jimmy, impressed.

"Yep." Lois nodded, looking at Clark and smiling. "He had amnesia and I still have no idea of how he got there in the first place--- oh, don't worry!" added Lois, when Jimmy widened his eyes at the word amnesia. "He got his memory back later. Anyway, I got out of the car and I asked if he was okay, you know, I told him I had to take him to a hospital. He stood up and turned to me…" Lois grinned at the memory. "And it was love at first sight, I gotta tell you."

"That's so cool." said Jimmy. Chloe smiled and started to sip her drink, watching Lois.

"Hey, I didn't even get to the best part!" said Lois, sipping her drink as well and laughing when Clark blushed. She leaned her left elbow at the table. "Did I mention he was naked?"

Chloe choked on her drink and a shocked Jimmy immediately started to pat her back. Clark covered his face with one hand, mortified.

"He was what???" she asked, laughing and cleaning her mouth.

"Naked." said Lois, smugly. "Nude, unclothed, exposed, undressed kind of naked." She looked wickedly at Clark, who was facing her with an expression that pretty much said I'm-going-to-kill-you. Lois turned back to Jimmy and Chloe, who were laughing. "And let me tell you, when we first got together, there were NO surprises, if you know what I mean."

Chloe and Jimmy laughed again, and Clark was still looking at her, but now with a challengingly expression on her face. He was mortified. Yes, he was, but she wanted to play like that? He would play like that.

He looked at Chloe and Jimmy too.

"You know, it's not like there were surprises for me either." he said. Lois turned her head to him, confused. It was his time to smile mischievously. "I caught her naked in the bathroom once. And she had already given me a lap dance on one particularly interesting occasion, so by the time we got together, we were already pretty familiar with each other."

Lois was staring at him with her cheeks a little bit flushed, and he smiled victoriously. She narrowed her eyes a little. And then smiled.

Oh oh, Clark thought. That wasn't good.

Finishing her drink, Lois started talking.

"Well, after he got his memory back and Chloe was back to track – since she wasn't really dead, it had been just a whole set-up – was when we really started to know each other, you know. We actually became close friends, and sure, there were some embarrassing moments, like the time he had to make out with a cheerleader and I had to watch, or when I invaded his bathroom while he was taking a marathon-shower and his mom caught us and thought we were doing something else – which we weren't, on that moment…" She added, with a smirk.

"Okay… now… how exactly did you two realize you were in love?" asked Jimmy, amused. Clark opened his mouth to respond, but Lois was quicker. She always was.

"Oh, Clark here always had the hots for me, I mean, every time I dated a guy he was insanely jealous. He was always checking me out, and let me tell you, on that time I gave him the lap dance, he did not push me away. I bet Clark Jr. was really pleased about it, wasn't he, honey?" she asked, looking at Clark challengingly.

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?" he retorted.

She grinned. "Oh, I will, as soon as we get home."

Clark was positively purple right now, and Lois was enjoying herself more than ever.

He was helpless. She had won. Again. Clark rolled his eyes. That woman had an incredible power over him, and Clark didn't seem to be able to stop it. It troubled him, it really did.

"But seriously…" Lois was saying. "I don't know what it was that made me find him on the cornfield that day, but it was just the best thing that has ever happened. I guess it was fate, wasn't it, sweetheart?" she said, smiling affectionately to Clark.

"Yeah, probably…" he grumbled. "Or a curse…"

Lois chuckled, hitting him playfully in the arm.

"Clarkie has a funny sense of humor."

Clark faced her. "You know, I'm going to teach you a lesson when we get home."

"Honey!" she said, vehemently. "What have we talked about just yesterday about not being dirty in public?"

Alcohol couldn't affect him, but even so, Clark grabbed his drink and turned it all on his mouth at once. Lois widened her eyes.

"Easy there, hon! I don't want to carry you home drunk, later."

"Don't worry, you won't." he said, annoyed.

Smiling brightly, Lois turned to Jimmy, who seemed clearly overwhelmed, and Chloe, who had a smart smile on her face.

"Well." started Jimmy, eyes widened. "You two have quite a story."

"Yeah, we do." agreed Clark. "A dreadfully long one."

"Well, anyway, it's so cool that you two have decided to give your love another shot." said Jimmy, smiling. Lois forced a grin to Clark.

"It is, isn't it, honey?" she said. Clark just looked at her. She nudged him with her leg, underneath the table. "Honey?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely, it's just great, the best thing we've ever done." he said, forcing a smile to Jimmy, who smiled brightly at both of them.

"Yes, it was!" Chloe agreed, excitedly, and both Lois and Clark looked at her oddly. "Yeah, see Jimmy, they didn't even tell you the best part!

"We didn't?" asked Clark, honestly curious. After all that burst of information, he thought it had been enough. Then, he frowned. Chloe was trying to join Lois on the 'creating a story' thing. He exhaled heavily. Journalists…

"No!" Chloe turned to Jimmy. "See, Jimmy, the real reason Lois didn't go to Monte Carlo with Oliver was because Clark went to talk to her and asked her to stay." Lois was looking at her in a way that made Chloe relieved her cousin wasn't the one with heat vision. But she just kept talking, she couldn't help it. She was starting to like to come up with those kind of situations. She chuckled. Maybe she should try to write a romance novel, one day. "Oh, Jimmy, you should have seen Lois's face when she told me Clark had asked her to stay. She was so happy, confused and giddy, she even had tears in her eyes."

"Funny, I don't remember that part." said Lois, between her gritted teeth.

"And oh, when Clark came to talk to me that same afternoon… I had never seen him happier!" Chloe continued, ignoring Lois. "Oh, and then later, when Lois and I were at the Talon and Clark walked in! The way he grabbed Lois by her waist and just planted one big---"

"Okay!" Lois interrupted, standing up. "I'm going to get something to eat at the food cocktail." She looked at Clark. "Care to join me, honey?"

Clark stood up as well. "My pleasure." he said, smirking devilishly. "Pumpkin."

He held her hand and he could swear: if he wasn't the Man of Steel, Lois would have smashed his hand.

They started to walk towards a long table in the opposite corner of the ballroom, where the snacks were served, but they still heard Jimmy's comment.

"You know, after all this time we've been here… it's actually a funny thing they haven't kissed yet."

Curiously, they immediately let go of their hands.

"Pumpkin?" said Lois, annoyed, after they were finally out of Jimmy and Chloe's sight. "I told you not to call me pumpkin, you… you…"

"Oh, do you really want to start?" Clark said. "Did you hear yourself back there? Telling them you found me naked! What were you thinking?"

"It's true! He asked how we met, what was I supposed to do? Lie?" she asked, exasperated.

"I don't know, anything that didn't make me wish the floor would just open up and swallow me!"

"Oh, stop complaining, you embarrassed me as well!" she replied, annoyed. "Telling Jimmy and Chloe I gave you a lap dance? Were you out of your mind?"

"It's true. What was I supposed to do? Lie?" he said, mimicking her. Lois narrowed her eyes at him.

They faced each other angrily, for a second. Then, Clark shook her head.

"Look, we have to stop arguing. If we keep going on with it---and don't get me wrong, I'd love to," he added, bitterly. "We're going to screw things up and that wouldn't be good for Chloe."

"Right." she agreed, trying to calm herself down. "After all, it's for her we're doing all this, right?"

"Right." he said. Both breathed in deeply.

"Drink?" offered a waiter that was passing by with a tray full of Martinis.

"God, yes," accepted Lois, grabbing one. Clark raised one eyebrow. She rolled her eyes, sipping the drink. "Quit with the censoring look, Smallville, it takes a lot more than a Martini and a Piña Colada to get me drunk. I know where to start and where to stop."

"If you say so…"

"Besides," she started, smirking now. "I have to be careful, because if I get drunk, you might want to take advantage of me."

"Yes, Lois, because I'm a wild pervert who takes advantage of drunken girls and takes them home to do some real dirty stuff." he said, sarcastically. Lois laughed.

"I didn't know you had it in you, Smallville," she said, punching him on the shoulder. Then she noticed a red-haired woman – who was wearing a really short dress – standing a few meters away from them, looking at Clark up and down, lustfully.

"Hey," Lois said, to him. "Who's the bitch staring at you, over there?"

Clark frowned and turned around, seeing the woman.

"I have no clue," he answered. "But I can tell that one, unlike you, does not know when to stop drinking."

Indeed. When the woman approached them, she was completely tipsy.

"Hey, handsome," she said, still checking him out, completely drunk. "Want to buy me a drink?"

"Another one?" asked Lois, raising an eyebrow and looking at the generous glass of tequila she had on her hands. The woman glared at Lois and looked back at Clark, smiling.

"So? What do you say?"

"Sorry, lady," Clark answered, suddenly holding Lois's waist, making her huff in surprise. "I'm taken."

"You bet he his." said Lois, recovering herself. "Get the hell out of here."

The woman shrugged.

"Bummer…" she said, turning around, spotting a man that seemed to be as drunk as she was, walking towards there and planting a big, wet kiss on him.

"Ew. Disgusting." said Lois, shaking her head disapprovingly and turning to look at Clark. Ignoring the way his grip on her waist had brought them closer, Lois asked "Shall we get back to the table?"

"Didn't you want to get something to eat?" asked Clark, raising an eyebrow.

"I just told them that so I could argue with you a little bit. But now that you mentioned it, I really am hungry." She released herself of his hold, grabbed a plate, filled it with a lot of different snacks and walked back towards him.

"Oh, you grabbed some food for me too. Thanks." he said, thankful, reaching to the plate. Lois hit him on the hand, and he quickly removed it.

"This is for me, if you want it, you get yourself a plate and go for it." she said. Clark raised an eyebrow.

"Lois, there's enough food there to feed a whole football team." he pointed, while they walked towards their table again.

"I'm a growing girl," she said, with her mouth full.

Clark laughed, as they arrived at the table and sat down again.

Jimmy looked at her plate.

"Hey!" he said. "You brought food for us too! How nice of you."

Clark laughed again and this time, she poked him.

CHAPTER 7

A while later, they were all well-fed from the enormous amount of snacks on Lois's plate – the waiter had already removed it from the table. Chloe had moved her chair closer to Jimmy's, and Clark's arm now found itself naturally resting on the back of Lois's chair. He didn't remember how exactly it had gotten there, but he didn't remove it. The act was still on, right?

"Oh boy, I'm full," said Jimmy, sighing.

"Yeah," agreed Chloe. "Gotta congratulate the one responsible for the food and drinks."

"But I'll have a little word with the one responsible for the music," complained Lois, glancing at the crowded dance floor, where a music from the 80s had just replaced the one from the 70s that had been playing. "I mean is the DJ a grandpa, or something?" she asked, trying to spot the man on the DJ table.

"Maybe they're just going on with the different ages." suggested Clark. "They'll get to nowadays, eventually."

Lois shrugged.

"Hey!" she said, grabbing Clark's arm and suddenly straightening herself on the chair, pointing to a red-haired woman, walking towards the ballroom door. "Clark! It's the drunk girl, check it out!"

Clark followed her gaze. The woman was dirty dancing with two guys, one in front of her and one behind her. He widened his eyes.

"Wow. She seems to be… having fun." he said.

"You bet she is." she said, laughing.

"What drunk woman?" asked Chloe, curiously.

"There," said Lois, pointing to the red-haired again. "Just a girl that was drooling over Clark back there on the snacks table."

Chloe raised her eyebrows, looking to her left side.

"And it looks like she isn't the only one." she said, raising an eyebrow. Lois frowned and followed her gaze.

A group of four young girls that appeared to be on the last year of High School was staring at Clark lustfully and giggling.

Lois narrowed her eyes.

"Hey!" she called, jolting Clark, Chloe and Jimmy. The four girls suddenly looked at Lois, a little frightened.

"Is she talking to us?" one girl asked to the other, who was still staring at Clark.

"You damn right I'm talking to you!" Lois said, standing up. The four girls immediately took one step back. "You groupies can stop drooling and turn around, that piece of hotness back there is taken!" she said, pointing with her thumb to Clark, sitting behind her with a surprised and shy smile on his face.

"Really?" said the blonde one, that seemed to be the leader of the 'gang'. "By whom?"

"Me, smarty." said Lois, smiling sarcastically.

"Oh yeah?" The blonde one tried to look at Clark over Lois's shoulder. "I don't see your name on him."

"You don't have to." said Lois, bitterly, walking towards them. They seemed to be a bit apprehensive, because Lois was almost one head taller than they were. "Now keep walking before I reach over and kick you four asses out of here." She gave them a wide smile. "Alright?"

The four girls shot Clark one last admiring glance and turned around, walking to the opposite side.

Straightening her dress, Lois turned and walked back to the table, shaking her head.

"Hormones. Hmph!" she said, annoyed, sitting down beside Clark again. "And for Heaven's sake, are all kids shrinking? I swear I wasn't that tiny when I was in High School."

"You've never been tiny, Lois." Chloe reminded her. Lois shrugged, and she contracted herself on the chair a little bit when her eyes found Clark's.

"What?" she said, exasperated. Clark merely kept smiling.

"Piece of hotness?" he asked, amused and blushing, at the same time. Lois rolled her eyes.

"They seemed to think so." she just said, shrugging. Then, she raised an eyebrow. "Don't brag."

"I wasn't going to." he said, still smiling, and turned his gaze away from hers.

"Yeah, sure you wasn't."

Jimmy turned to Chloe, curiously. "Do they bicker all the time?"

Chloe smirked. "You have seen nothing, yet."

He laughed.

The silence that fell into the table was broken a few moments later by the sound of an Italian slow song beginning to play.

Dalla tua bocca
Vorrei bere i baci
Che sono come
Gocce di rugiada
E in questo cielo
Scrivere il tuo nome qui vicino
Al mio

Lois rolled her eyes.

"Now, isn't that DJ creative?" she said, mockingly, but uncomfortable inside. "An Italian song?"

"Oh, come on, that's a beautiful song, Lois!" said Chloe, excitedly. Lois looked at her only to notice she was standing up, by Jimmy's side, holding his hand.

"Come on, you two!" Jimmy called.

Chloe had a devious smirk on her face. "Let's dance!"

Lois snorted and shook her head negatively.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Chlo," she started. "But uh, we are not the kind of couple who actually stands up and goes dancing around, capisci? So drop it, and---Smallville, what the hell you think you're doing?" she added when she saw Clark standing on his feet in front of her, offering her his hand.

"Let's just leave them alone," suggested Jimmy, dragging a giggling Chloe to the dance floor.

Clark shrugged, smiling.

"I do owe you a dance…"

"No you don't!" Lois said, confused and shocked. Clark's smile widened.

"Senior year…" he stared, to remind her. "Prom… you had just been possessed… I asked you to dance…"

"Oh, yes," Lois said, sarcastically, remembering now. "Then Miss Perfect Princess arrived and you ran over to her like a puppy dog after a ball."

"Hey!" Clark protested, his smile fading. "If I remember well, you were the one who told me to go after her."

"Yeah! Have you never heard what people say about not leaving a lady waiting?"

Clark rolled his eyes, exasperated.

"Will you dance with me or not?"

"Fine!"

Al dolce suono
Della mia chitarra
Dirti le cose
Pazze che ho dentro
Farti sentire in
Questa notte chiara
Quello che sento

She stood up, straightened her dress and took his hand. Turning around to hide his smile, Clark pulled her by the hand to the crowded dance floor. Jimmy and Chloe were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, where did that photographer took my cousin to?" asked Lois, suspiciously, as they stopped in front of each other.

"Protective much, Lois?" he teased, passing one hand to hold her waist.

"Not protective," she answered, ignoring the weird sparks she briefly felt when Clark's hand was touching and letting him take her hand with his other one. "Just... if Jimmy isn't around, there is no point for us to dance, is it?"

Clark's smile faltered.

"Well, can't we just… forget a little bit about Jimmy and just…" he shrugged in an innocent way. "Enjoy ourselves?"

It was time for Lois's smile to falter.

"Really?"

Clark smirked. "Nah, I was just kidding. Look, there they are…"

Without knowing exactly why, she felt somewhat disappointed. Ignoring that too, she followed Clark's gaze and saw Chloe and Jimmy standing at the bar, laughing and talking. She smiled.

"It looks like they're okay, now." she said.

"Thanks to us." he pointed, both swaying slowly from one side to another.

"Yeah. Us and Chloe's incredible creativity." she completed, raising an eyebrow to him. Clark laughed.

Che sono
Innamorato...
È l'amore più grande
Che sono
Innamorato... io e te... com'è bello
Amarti

"No, I mean, seriously, you and me, a couple?" she insisted. "What would be the odds, huh?"

"Life takes a lot of turns." Clark just said, not even knowing why. Lois raised another eyebrow. She frowned.

"What was that supposed to mean?" she asked, awkwardly. He widened his eyes.

"Nothing, just… nothing, it's just life does take lots of unexpected turns, and somehow they happen, you know, when you least expect, and changing is always good, and---I'm starting to sound bumbling, aren't I?"

Lois smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"Starting?" she teased. "You always sound bumbling."

"I do not!" Clark retorted.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, have you seen your own face back there at the Talon, when you saw me on this dress? You were practically choking!"

Clark felt his cheeks heating up.

"I was just a little impressed!" he defended himself. "I'm used to see you in jeans and tank tops; you can't blame me for staring a little bit when you show up using a tight dress like this."

"Well, and I'm used to see you wearing plaid and jeans, but I didn't drool all over you when I saw you wearing a tux – and, let's face it, it's a big change." she said, smiling.

"Yeah, but you did accuse me of being so damn tall, smiling and handsome a couple of days ago, and I wasn't even wearing a tux."

"I was trying to make a point---"

"And you called me piece of hotness when you blew up with jealously against those girls before."

She remained speechless for a fraction of second. And when it comes to Lois Lane, a fraction of second is something.

He smiled victoriously.

"I was just trying to defend your honor from those horny High School girls, what kind of girlfriend am I supposed to be?" she asked, with her cheeks a little rosy. Clark laughed.

"You did great, Lois, you did great, congratulations for scaring the hell out of the groupies." he said. Both chuckled for a while and then fell into silence, watching Chloe quickly tell Jimmy something and walk towards the ladies room.

CHAPTER 8

Se nel tuo corpo
Fossi prigioniero
Confonderei il
Tuo fiato con il mio
Fine ad unire le mie sensazioni con la tua vita
Abbandonato in
Una spiaggia vuota
Potrei nutrirmi
Solo dei ricordi
E del sapore di
Quel primo bacio
Che ancora sento

"You know," Lois started, while they still danced slowly, from one side to another. "I actually thought this was going to be weird and awkward and all, but..."

"It isn't." Clark completed. She smiled at him.

"Yeah, it isn't." she said.

"And you know what?" he asked. "In spite of the inevitable bickering, I think we've been doing a good job, the plan it's actually working."

"Yeah," Lois agreed, but her face suddenly froze.

At least until now.

"Oh no." she said.

"What?" asked Clark, catching the sudden change of expression on her face.

"Jimmy's looking at us. Weirdly."

Clark whirled her a little so he could look discreetly at Jimmy.

Definitely, there was something on his eyes. Something that seemed alarmingly like… suspicion.

Clark frowned. He thought they were doing well, why was Jimmy suddenly looking at them like that?

"We've got to do something." she said lowly, to him. "Okay, first, let's try not to look nervous." she ordered, and their faces immediately softened.

"Is he still looking at us like that?" Clark asked, smiling a little to uncover their worry.

"Yes," she answered, smiling as well and discreetly glancing at Jimmy. Lois looked up at him. "And we've gotta do something else fast, because he's now with that frown, and…" She faked a wide smile at him again. "It can't be a good thing."

"Yeah, but what can we possibly do?" asked Clark.

And right away, as if they were one, the same crazy thought passed by their minds.

They faced each other.

"It's a funny thing they haven't kissed yet."

Jimmy's earlier remark hammered on their minds.

Clark gulped.

Hell no.

"You're not… actually considering the possibility…"

"Smallville, Jimmy's still looking at us absolutely wary, and now the frown is worse." She lowered her voice even more. "If he finds out this whole thing isn't real, Chloe's relationship with him is ruined."

"I---I know, but---" babbled Clark, hesitantly. Memories of him dressed as Green Arrow, Lois pulling his body against hers and their lips crashing together invaded his mind, making his stomach twist before he could help it.

"Oh, for Pity's sake, Smallville, it's just a kiss!" Lois said, exasperated. "Have you never played the Spin the Bottle game?"

Clark eyed her. "Um…"

Lois rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" Clark just kept looking at her, hesitantly. It was not that he didn't want to. Truth to be told, there was a part of him that, all of a sudden, really wanted to. That was what was making him hesitate.

Lois breathed out heavily.

"Look, Smallville, it's no big deal." she started, trying to tranquilize him. She tried not to roll her eyes again. She couldn't believe she was trying to convince him to kiss her. She almost cursed Chloe for putting her into that whole situation. "It's just a kiss. A simple, innocent kiss, like the ones in any innocent Spin the Bottle game. Got it?"

Clark gulped again. Sure, it would be an innocent kiss. Only… he wasn't feeling all that innocent. He had kissed Lois a few weeks ago. He had liked it. She had liked it. And she still had no idea it had been him.

And what if she recognized his kiss? She seemed to be good at that kind of stuff, she had realized right away he wasn't Oliver, when she had kissed Clark.

But every corner of his mind seemed to be screaming 'Do it'.

For Chloe's sake, right? They would do it to save Chloe's relationship with Jimmy.

Trying to keep that in mind, he weakly said "Alright," with the last trace of voice he could find.

Lois nodded, a bit overwhelmed by the apparent rush of thoughts that she had just seen through his eyes.

He had just started to lean in when she pushed him away.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she asked, shocked. Clark frowned, perplexed.

"Uh… I was going to kiss you, isn't that what we just agreed to do?"

"Yeah, but come on, it will seem just bogus if you lean in and kiss me now!" she said, exasperated, trying to get rid of the fluttering feeling on the pit of her stomach that had taken place when he had tried to lean in.

Clark sighed again, rolling his eyes.

That was going to be more complicated than he thought.

"Fine. What do you suggest?"

Lois rolled her eyes too.

"I don't know, anything a couple would do, play with my hair, tease me, tell me how hot I look tonight, whatever!"

Clark felt a strange gust of confidence take over him. He smiled.

"Okay." he said, letting go of her hand and using his free one to hold the other side of her waist. He looked straight on her eyes and said "Have I told you how hot you look tonight?"

Lois bit her lip to contain a laugh.

"Just for the record… I know." She grinned. "But hey, that was very good! What else do you got?"

"Are you sure you want to find out?" he asked, teasingly, raising an eyebrow. Lois chuckled.

"Yeah, show me!"

He smirked down at her.

Her previous sentence about what he should do was hanging in the back of his head, two particular words detaching:

Tease me.

"Okay." He started to lean in again, his self-assurance increasing even more when her grin nervously faltered as he kissed her cheek. "But just remember…" he said, now kissing the soft skin on her neck and making her knees unexplainably falter. "… that this…" Lois bit her lip. He slid his lips towards her ear and whispered "… is just an act."

She swiftly opened her eyes, which she didn't even know she had closed. Her breath was quickened, and she didn't know why.

Feeling tingles all over when he slowly jerked his head away from her ear, Lois gulped, but she was unable to contain a grin.

"Point taken." she said, roughly. She cleaned her throat, and Clark beamed.

That wasn't fair. Just because his cologne smelled so good, her knees weren't supposed to quake like that. He was Clark, for Heaven's sake!

Feeling an incredible will of revenge, she pulled herself together and looked up at him.

"My turn." she informed him, walking a step closer to him, hands around his waist. She raised her head, so her lips could make contact with his chin.

Every sign of confidence Clark had on him disappeared as soon as she started to kiss his neck as well. She heard his breath quickening too, and she had him almost right where she wanted.

Lois went for the kill.

She glided her lips from his neck to his ear and lightly bit his earlobe.

When he gasped, she smirked.

"Hey. Just an act, remember?"

Pulling away, Clark and Lois looked at each other and laughed a little bit. As soon as the laughter started, it stopped.

"What are we doing?" Lois asked, a little confused and mesmerized.

"I don't know." Clark answered. They chuckled a little bit again. "Hum… is Jimmy still looking suspicious?" he asked, after a few seconds of silence, while they just danced slowly. Lois looked over his shoulder.

"Yes." she answered, looking back at him.

Clark gulped.

"So, um… is the kiss still on?" he asked, absolutely uncomfortable.

"I guess." Lois answered.

"Hmm."

After another five seconds of quietness, Lois rolled her eyes.

"You know, Smallville, just in case you didn't get it, now would be a good time as any."

Clark laughed awkwardly.

"Right… sorry." he said. "So…"

"So…" she mimicked.

"This is it."

"Yep." Lois looked up at him, smiling slightly. "You know, now it is a little awkward."

Both laughed together, once again.

"Yeah, a little." he said.

"Just a kiss." she reminded.

"Just a kiss." he repeated. "For Chloe's sake."

"That's right."

They stared at each other for a fraction of second that seemed to last forever.

Gulping, Lois looked down and took a step forward while Clark brought her closer pulling her gently by her waist, closing the distance between them.

When she looked up, she felt, once again that night, her breath quickening, her knees faltering and her body shivering.

Their faces were inches apart, and their eyes were locked into each other's.

Lois's hands were now resting on Clark's chest, and he removed one hand from her waist and placed it on her neck, to bring her face towards his.

Looking deep into her eyes to see if there were no second thoughts, he gave her one last fraction of second to pull away, if she wanted to. But she didn't. Instead, her eyes flickered to his lips and she smiled a bit.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

He cupped her face and gently entangled his lips with hers, kissing her softly.

It was meant to be a plain kiss. Just a 'peck' on the lips. It was also meant to signify nothing.

But when Lois moved to pull away, Clark's hand held her head there.

She panted, and when she opened her mouth against his to breathe, he pulled even closer, deepening the kiss.

And she felt something, something different. Something dazzling. Something that made her body relax completely, and if it wasn't for his hand on her waist, she would have probably tumbled down on the floor.

It was just… breathtaking, neither Green Arrow nor Oliver had made her feel that way. Like if she was the only woman in the whole world. Like if she was flying.

Who would have known Farmboy could kiss like that?

Out of nowhere, a strange feeling of Deja Vú took over her.

She didn't really give too much thought into it – she just slipped her hands from his chest to his neck, bringing his face closer to hers, throwing all restrictions to Hell and kissing him back with the new and startling passion that had just been created between them.

Every coherent thought had been erased from their hazed minds. But one thing was sure: that was certainly not like a Spin the Bottle game kiss.

His heart was pounding on his chest. He knew he would have to kick himself later, but he just couldn't help but kiss her further.

Clark sighed against her mouth.

He was definitely getting into too many plans lately.

Voglio sentiri
Il fuoco della pelle calda
Accenderó il tuo
Corpo con carezze ardenti
E partiró con te sognando intensamente

Che sono innamorato...
È l'amore più grande
Che sono
Innamorato... io e te... com'è bello
Amarti

CHAPTER 9

Pulling apart, both were completely out of breath.

Clark still had his hands on her waist – refusing to let go of her completely – and Lois's were resting on his chest again. Biting her bottom lip, Lois scanned his face and her eyes flickered to his lips, once again. She frowned and looked up to meet his gaze.

"Have I kissed you before?"

At her sudden question, Clark fought with all his might not to gulp.

"No." he answered. Then, he smiled a little. "I would remember."

Lois smiled too.

"Yeah, well, that was, uh…" She cleaned her throat.

"Pretty good?" he suggested.

"Hell yeah." she agreed, nodding and fighting a grin.

Bewildered and enthralled, they stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Is, uh… is Jimmy still looking at us oddly?" asked Clark, to break the atmosphere. Lois frowned.

"Jimmy?" she asked, confused. Clark smirked. Then, she seemed to get out of her reverie, remembering the reason of why they had kissed, in the first place. "Right! Jimmy! Uh, I don't know, let me see…" He twirled her once again that night, so she could check Jimmy's expression. "No," she said, smiling. "He's talking to Chloe."

Clark followed her gaze. Indeed, Chloe was already back from the ladies room, and Jimmy and her were talking, apparently absorbed in whatever amusing topic they were discussing.

He looked back at Lois, and caught her staring at him.

"Um, sorry for, uh…" Clark looked at her lightly swollen lips. "Messing up with your lipstick."

"Hey, no worries." Lois said, unable to keep that grin inside her any longer. "After all it was for a good cause, right?"

"Yeah." he agreed.

They stared at each other for another couple of minutes.

"So!" said Lois, getting out of their embrace, her voice a little high-pitched. "I'm going to get a drink!" Clark nodded. "You want something?" He shook his head negatively. "Okay."

He watched her smile briefly at him, turn around and walk towards the bar.

"And quit staring at my butt!"

Clark laughed out loud and put his hands on his pockets, focusing his gaze on the back of her head instead.

This was turning to be the strangest night ever. And definitely the most exciting one.

His heartbeat was slowly going back to its normal rhythm, and the more Clark told himself they had done it because of Jimmy, the more a little part of his brain insisted that wasn't entirely the reason.

Before Lois could get to the bar, she turned around to look at him over her shoulder. When she saw he was still staring at her, her heartbeat increased again. He heard it, with his super-hearing on. With a smile, he noticed his heart beating a little faster as well.

Yeah, they were friends – very good friends, but there sure was some serious physical attraction between them. But… was physical attraction enough to make their hearts beat quicker like that?

Nah, it was something else. He just didn't know exactly what it was. But he was willing to find out.

Lois smiled thankful to the barman who handed her a bottle of water.

"Lois Lane in a party drinking water? Now that's surprising."

Lois turned around only to find her cousin standing there, with a devious smile on her face. She shrugged.

"I'm thirsty, and a Piña Colada wouldn't really do it for me right now." she said, pouring the water in an empty glass the barman had given her. "How are you and Jimmy?" she asked, looking over Chloe's shoulder and seeing Jimmy was sitting a few meters away from where they were, on a bench next to the counter and drinking a beer. He waved at her, smiling, and Lois waved at him back.

"Oh, we're just fine, thanks to you and Clark. By the way…" said Chloe, walking closer to Lois. "Did I just witness a very hot and sticky kiss between you and him?"

Lois choked on her glass of water.

"You saw that, huh." she said, coughing to clean her throat.

"Oh, yes, I did." Chloe answered, still with a wily smirk on her face.

"It was nothing," started Lois, with a low voice. "We were just doing it because Jimmy was looking at us suspiciously and we didn't know what else to do, so since we've been pretending the whole night, we thought a kiss would... seal the deal."

"Yeah, it looks like it did." Chloe pointed, fighting against the laughter. "How was it?"

Lois glared at her.

"Not telling you."

"Why not?" protested Chloe. "I'm your cousin! You can tell me anything!"

"No." she said, drinking her water again. "You'll mock me."

"I won't!" Chloe said, and Lois glared again. "Hey," she raised her hands. "I promise."

Lois sighed, glancing briefly at Clark, who was still standing on the same place she had left him.

"It was…" She couldn't stop a smile from taking over her face. Chloe smirked again.

"I knew all that hand-holding and exchange of smiles wasn't just an act." she said. Lois growled.

"See?! See?! Mocking me already!" she complained, exasperated. Chloe laughed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was just… surprising, you know, because…" She raised an eyebrow, amused. "That did not seem like an act at all."

Lois put her glass and her bottle on the counter and rubbed her forehead.

"Yeah… it kinda wasn't." she confessed. Chloe raised the other eyebrow.

"But I thought you said---"

"Fine! It was supposed to be a simple peck on the lips but when I was going to pull away he held me there and we kinda got a little lost in the moment!" Lois exploded, frustrated, trying to keep her tone of voice low at the same time.

"And… why exactly are you freaking out?" asked Chloe, carefully. Lois breathed out.

"Because it's Clark, and he was never supposed to make me weak on the knees like that!"

Chloe smiled, impressed. "That good, huh?"

"Yes!" she snapped back. "My stomach still has the damn butterflies, I'm feeling like a silly schoolgirl and I really want to kick myself right now---or better! I'll kick you!" she finished, pointing an accusing finger to Chloe, who raised her hands in defense.

"Hey, you're the one who kissed him back!"

"Yeah, but you're the one who set up this whole plan!" Lois said, lowly, so only Chloe could listen. She was angry, but she wouldn't ruin everything now giving Jimmy a chance to overhear they conversation.

"Right, but the deal was to pretend you two were a couple. Kissing wasn't on the contract." said Chloe, smiling again. "That was a kind of a bonus."

"And man, what a bonus it was…" sighed Lois, losing herself on her thoughts for a brief moment. When her eyes met Chloe's again, she shook her head and pointed a finger to her as well. "But I don't care, you owe me a big one, 'cuz, and take that sly smirk off your face! I kissed him to save your butt!"

"Oh, Lois, poor you, what a sacrifice." Chloe said, sarcastically.

"I don't care about what you say, it's all your fault! Sure, I kissed him back, but if you hadn't said my name that day, I would never be here and I would have never kissed him, and that's how it was supposed to have happened!"

"Was it?" she asked, amused at Lois's hysterical state.

"Yes! Now if you excuse me, I'm going to wash my face!" said Lois, annoyed.

"I think you're in need of something more like a cold shower." Chloe teased, and Lois growled in annoyance, walking towards the bathroom. She laughed and turned to take a look at Clark.

As soon as Chloe saw his smile, she knew: he had been with his super-hearing on.

Chloe shook her head in amused disapproval and Clark just shrugged guiltily, the grin never leaving his face.

Walking towards Jimmy, Chloe couldn't keep a smile off her lips.

Clark and Lois had done a good job tonight. They had followed with the plan, in spite of the eventual – and unavoidable – bickering and they had managed to look like a couple and dupe everyone, including their main target: Jimmy.

However, Chloe knew that maybe duping Jimmy had been the first push for them to kiss, but that was certainly not what had kept them liplocked for that long.

Maybe they had been playing an act for a long time, now, with strong masks on. Masks of annoyance, exasperation and teasing.

Maybe, this entire time, they had been fooling everyone. Including themselves.

"I never knew you liked beers so much." said Chloe, as Jimmy opened up another bottle. They were sitting in front of each other, on the benches along the bar. He smiled at her.

"I just prefer to drink a good beer than any other fancy drink. It's not like I'm an alcoholic or something, be cool." he joked. Chloe laughed.

"I hope so. And I also hope you only drink on special occasions, 'cause I don't want to see you with a beer belly." she said, poking his abdomen.

"Don't worry, the package is well treated, and it's all yours." he said, with a cute smile. Chloe smiled back at him and let him kiss her.

"You want some?" asked Jimmy, showing her the beer.

"No. Unlike you, I do prefer the fancy cocktails." she stood up. "I'm going to buy myself another one."

When she turned around, Jimmy held her hand.

"Hey," he said. Chloe turned back at him, with a curious smile. "I'm glad we came. I had a great time."

She smiled brightly.

"Me too."

She leaned in to kiss him again, and they smiled at each other. Right then, they saw Lois getting out of the ladies room. She seemed to fight with herself for a second, then she looked at where Clark was standing, straightened herself and walked towards him. She asked him something, and he just smiled slightly with the corner of his mouth, nodding.

Chloe cursed herself for not having super-hearing.

Jimmy and her watched both walk back to the dance floor. Clark held her waist again, and with Lois's arms around his neck, they danced once more.

"You know," said Jimmy, motioning towards Lois and Clark. "They actually make a great couple."

"Yeah." Chloe said, frowning. Then, a crafty smile lightened her face. "They really do."

She smiled at Jimmy once again and turned around, heading towards the barman to order a drink.

Jimmy watched her, bemused. She was stronger than he thought.

He hadn't thought she'd be able to keep up with the act all night.

He could say the same thing about Lois and Clark.

Oh, yes, he wasn't stupid. He knew a set-up when he saw one. And that entire act… that was a set-up. A plan. An intelligent, witty and simple plan – so simple it could have worked if he didn't know how Clark and Lois acted around each other.

He wasn't mad, though. What Chloe had done had been a way to protect him and a proof of how much she cared about him. Jimmy recognized that. And he was thankful for it.

And… as for the whole Clark thing?

Well, he thought, watching the confused (and pleased) look on his face while he danced with Lois again, resting his chin on the top of her head at the same time a slight smile played with her lips.

Jimmy could relax.

Clark was definitely not a threat.